The Walking Pepperwood
by katykat5
Summary: This our first fan fic from Maryam and Katy. New Girl's Julius Pepperwood struggles to survive in the harsh world of The Walking Dead and finds his way into Rick's group at the prison. Constructive criticism please! Disclaimer: we own neither New Girl nor the Walking Dead. If we did, Daryl would take up all the screen time.
1. Chapter 1

The Walking Pepperwood

I was walking down the empty road, trying not to make any noise. It was eerily quiet as the sun rose. That was a good sign, there was no one nearby.

But suddenly I heard something, like someone walking on a branches and twigs. I quickly ran and hid in the trees on the other side of the road. And I waited. I scanned the woods in front of me and saw a flash of bright orange. I looked closer and realized it was a man, clearly alive, with a huge orange backpack on his back. He looked worn out and out of breath like he had just been running from something, from them. He sat down next to a tree to calm his breath.

Instinctively I glanced around myself to see if I was safe and hidden. After making sure, I observed the man with the orange backpack. I couldn't trust him yet because people are the worst. Especially the kind that this world creates.

As I sat, hidden, I was reminded of someone I used to know. She trusted easily, way to easily. She believed in second chances and thought they were better than first chances. Which is why she wanted to give those things a second chance. She saw one of them, injured, groaning on the ground. She was scared but she went over to help anyway, hoping that it would show some sign of humanity in return for hers. She never understood, she wasn't cut out for this world. She was like a rainbow colored rose in the middle of a dry dessert; unique and beautiful but out of place.

The backpack man was walking down the road now, the same way I was going before. I wanted to see if this guy could be trusted so I followed close by, hidden behind the trees. Nothing happened for hours, just aimless walking. But suddenly i heard a loud noise. The backpack man heard it too cause he stopped. He looked around. And there for the first time in a long long time I saw a car on the road. It was green and coming toward the backpacker. He started waving his arms around like a mad man. He clearly didn't understand the 'people are the worst' rule. How could he trust those people in the car?

I was once again proven right when the car just drove by without a second glance at the backpacker. People really are the worst. I smiled at an old memory that came back to me then. It was when she first admitted I was right, when I proved to her that people are not always nice and can be weird sometimes. Looking back, I'm glad Remmy came over that day. She wouldn't have agreed otherwise.

The man ran after the car as if he thought he could catch up, so I ran too. I hadn't seen a survivor in months, maybe years (I had stopped counting after she was gone for good). If there was any chance these people had answers, I was gonna get them. The fact that those people had a car with gas was impressive enough, and I was willing to bet they also had some valuable information. That's what I was really after wasn't it? The answers, information, understanding. A justification of sorts for her death. Because I promised, I promised her that this would be the most important investigation I ever carried out. And I refused to let HER case be the one that I, Julius Pepperwood, couldn't solve.

The backpack guy ran for like 10 straight minutes with that enormous pack on his shoulders, and I was beginning to understand how he survived this long. As for me, I lasted a good 5 minutes of slow jogging before I was reduced to a trot. I watched the man run and flail in the distance and marveled at his persistence to go after those who only let him down. I could relate. Inevitably, he stopped and sat among the towering trees, utterly defeated. The sight of him caused me to crumple to the ground as the world wore on me. I sat lost in my thoughts until the crumpling of branches behind me triggered my instincts. Walkers were around and it was time to go. I quietly stood and slapped my cheeks, muttering a much needed pep talk to myself. My friend on the other side had the same idea, and he began rambling on again towards nothing.

After another treacherous hour of walking and observing the sad, lonely man as he hiked along and mumbled to himself, his pace began to change. He started running again! This guy was really getting on my nerves. I debated whether or not to even bother chasing him until I realized why he was running again. The car that had passed us earlier was just up ahead.

As swiftly as a Pepperwood could, I snaked through the trees towards the improbable survivors. I barely understood my own motivation for approaching these strangers, but I knew it must be her. It was always her. And her dying wish had been, "Give people a chance, Julius. Whoever qualifies as people these days, just give them a chance."

I don't think she honestly recognized the irony of her words.

There was no way we could catch up to the car and eventually it drove out of sight. I was now contemplating whether or not to reveal myself to the stranger. I decided to wait and watch the backpacker to see what he did next. The backpacker kept walking, slower now. He looked a little hysterical after what just passed. I guess having and losing hope in a matter of seconds does that to people.

We were walking in silence, him on the road and me in the trees. I had to be very careful walking on the leaves. I didn't want the stranger to know about me just yet. I hated how quiet it had gotten over the years. There was no bird in the sky. No singing or chirping. I wonder what happened to them. Probably dead and eaten by those hideous walkers somewhere.

The familiar sound of a gun shot jolted me back to reality. I quickly looked around for the hitchhiker. He was already running toward the sound. He seemed pretty desperate to meet new survivors. I quickly followed, afraid I was going to lose him. It felt like hours before we arrived at a horrifying scene.

We both stopped. I turned around, I still wasn't used to all the death even when I should be. So many walkers, all dead, lying among a few broken cars. It was probably those people in the green car that shot these walkers. The smell and the Georgia heat was making me nauseous. I leaned against a tree to calm myself. I was so absorbed in catching my breath that I almost missed the groan. Their groans! I jumped up and quickly looked around. There were no walkers in the trees. I looked at the hitch hiker and saw him backing away from 3 of those things.

My cop instincts suddenly took over. I had to go help him. I ran out of the trees to go. He was surprised and turned his attention toward me. But that was a bad move. The walker closed in on him. I quickly opened my backpack and looked for the crowbar. So many memories came back to me at once l but I pushed them back. There was no time. That guy was barely putting them off with that broken branch he was using. How did he manage to survive this long? I found the crowbar right next to my real-apps phone case. I grabbed it and ran toward the hitch hiker.

But before I could reach him, something grabbed me from behind. I panicked and blindly smashed the crowbar in its head. But it missed. I yanked myself away from the walker and hit him again. This time it fell to the ground and without thinking twice, I punctured its head with the crowbar. The crowbar made a disgusting squishy noise as it went through the walkers brain. Gooey pieces flew out everywhere. The smell was so awful, I had to cover my nose. I was sweaty and breathing heavily but i couldn't stop. I turned around to look at the hitch hiker.

But I was too late. The other two walkers had already got him. They were taking fistfuls of deep red guts out of him and eating it. I felt a wave of nausea come over me again but I pushed it back. I owed this stranger that much. I ran to the walkers and struck the first with crowbar, yanked it back out, and stabbed the second in the head. It took all of five seconds. The walkers fell back with two hard thumps and I fell down with them.

I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. I was breathing hard trying not to think of the last live person who had died because I wasn't there to save her. First her and now him. I was drenched in sweat and blood and smelled horribly of those walkers. With great effort, I got up and tried to get myself back together. There was no time for emotions, not in these times.

The strangers orange backpack was lying a few feet away. I walked towards it. But suddenly I heard another noise. This time it was a car. The survivors were back! I knew they weren't nice people because the had left the hitchhiker. But that could also mean they were smart. I ran to the trees. I didn't want to be seen. I didn't trust these people yet. But I was intrigued by the car so I stayed hidden and watched. The green car soon came and I tried too look in and see the people inside but It passed by too quickly. I couldn't catch a glimpse of anyone. I was about to turn away when the car stopped and reversed and stopped by the orange backpack. I observed carefully. The backdoor opened and a hand grabbed the backpack.


	2. Chapter 2

"So you mean to tell me that he's takin' a sick week, to flirt with some new woman?" Julius questioned in his distinct Chicagoan accent. He raised his eyebrows in anticipation of a response, but was met only by Rick's low chuckle. He quickly joined in the laugh, trying desperately to erase the images of a romantic Shane from his mind.

"You know what," Rick began in his thick southern drawl, "I love the man, he's my best friend." He looked out the car window, thoughtfully into the distance. If they ever fired Shane, he thought, he was happy to know Pepperwood was next in line to be his partner. They were very different and had only known each other for a short time, but he could just as easily pass the time with him waiting in the cop car as he did with Shane.

"But..." Pepperwood prompted.  
"But... but, he's one big man child!"  
With that, Rick and Julius erupted into one great fit of laughter, so loud they almost didn't hear the static coming out of the radio.

Both men quieted and stiffened quickly, listening intently to the radio.  
*static* "we've got a hostage situation" *static* "at the Bank of North Georgia off Ferry..."  
Before the announcer could finish, Rick had peeled out of the parking spot and Julius turned on the sirens. They arrived at the scene in under ten minutes, and the bank was already surrounded by cop cars and media. Julius looked to Rick who gave him a reassuring nod. He had been a marine and had plenty of experience in danger, but he didn't want to screw up his first real mission as a cop.

Grimes and Pepperwood approached the Chief of Police and the makeshift audio system. Julius had seen and used many like it before, and he prepared himself in case he would be the one speaking with the criminal. He apparently guessed right as the Chief of Police hurriedly exclaimed, "Pepperwood! Just the man I wanted to see. I know you're new with us, but you've had the most experience with this and I need to you to coax that criminal outta there. Can you do it?"

Without hesitation, he answered, "Yes sir, just gimme a mic and we'll be back home before you know it." His signature relaxed, confident smile had appeared on his face, but Rick was stricken with worry.

Rick asked the Chief, "So whats the status?"

"He's got 13 hostages in there, and I'm hoping Julius here can get them all out." Rick gave Julius a pat on the back before going to his post. Julius rolled up his sleeves, gave himself a couple of slaps on the face, and grabbed the mic.

"Hello friend. The names Julius Pepperwood. I'm from Chicago. Now it's come to my understanding dat you've got yourself some money and you ain't leavin without it, is dat right? Well let me tell ya how this is gonna work. You come out, no weapons, hands up, and we don't shoot ya. Capeesh?"  
*silence, then a wicked chuckle*

"Oh Mr. Pepperwood, with all due respect, you're horribly wrong"  
Julius glared at the voice coming out if the bank speaker. "Now, what's gonna happen is you get me a car, clear the road, and I take my money. And I will also be taking a hostage as collateral of course. And to show I'm not messing around, I'll kill one off right now."

Julius interjected immediately at the threat, and his attitude towards the criminal changed. "No, no. No need for that. We're getting you your car, pal. But we can't let you go with any hostages."

Completely ignoring Pepperwood, the robber asked, "Ok, who's gonna volunteer to be my hostage? I probably won't kill you but ill just leave you stranded in the middle of the desert." *he chuckled again*

"Um, I'll..." *she clears her throat* "I'll do it."

Pepperwood's heart dropped and he instantly went white. As soft as the voice was, he recognized it well. A sickness crept into him, he thought he might throw up. When he inadvertently dropped the microphone, Rick came running to him.

"Hello? Mr. Pepperwood? Are you there? I have splendid news for us, I found myself a nice little lady to keep me company" At the mentioning of his wife coming from such a vagrant, a burning ferocity filled Julius. Rick was warning and calming him ineffectively while Julius snatched the microphone up.

"Ok buddy, you can have a hostage. But it's gonna be me. Or you're dead." The calm and collected way the words rolled of his tongue surprised all the cops, but mostly it surprised Julius.

"Okay, I'll take you if you come unarmed and cuffed." Pepperwood complied without having to think about it, and once the cuffs were on, he began to enter the bank. He was greeted by a gun pointed straight at him. He continued walking forward until he spotted Jessica among the crowd of hostages.

The criminal suddenly yelled, "Okay out! Scram!" The hostages uncertainly scrambled to their feet and began to move towards the door. All except for one. She stared at the ground and nervously pushed the locks of black, curly hair behind her ears.

"Go, come on!" This time, the urgent words came from Pepperwood. He was confused, utterly dumbfounded. The reason he had offered himself was to save her, and now she was staying? This woman was infuriating! He loved her but by God, what was she thinking. That coyote incident had been pure luck, so he honestly couldn't understand where this bravery was coming from.

"I'm coming too" she muttered. He wanted to scream so badly, but this unpredictable criminal might get set off.

"Well I think someone has a little crush on me," mused the criminal. Julius' frustration at Jessica turned into the anger once again at the man's suggestive words. "It appears our ride is here my good fellows." He yanked Pepperwood and Night roughly through the back of the bank and out to where the the getaway car awaited them. It was black van owned by the police, with plenty of space for money and leverage in the form of people. The criminal shoved the two in the back of the car and threatened, "You two just stay there and don't mess around. I'll be right back. If you try anything, I kill one of you. Or both." He left to get the money, and Pepperwood burst.

"What's wrong with you! Do we need to spend more time together? Is that what this is about? Because we will, just not with some murderous robber who is going to kill us and..." He was cut off by a deserved slap in the face.

"Shut up! I have a plan and you obviously needed my help." Before she could explain further, the man returned with a stack of cash which he quickly loaded into the back.

"Do you two think I could get more in here?" he asked rhetorically. "I think so!" He ran back into the bank enthusiastically.

Once he was out of sight, Jessica swiftly hopped into the driver's seat and began toying with the machinery.

"No Jess.. Please get back here. He is gonna KILL you!" The desperation in his voice was still audible though he whispered.

"Be useful and keep watch would ya?" She retorted. "Trust me, you picked me as your 'partner in crime' for a reason." She stated this simply, and needed not to provide further explanation. During the short minute she worked diligently, Julius sat a nervous wreck for what felt like an hour.

In an instant, the car jolted to life and Jessica slammed her foot down on the pedal. The car lurched forward, leaving the criminal firing at them in the background. Pepperwood glanced back long enough to see the frazzled and frantic look plastered on his face, which was infinitely satisfying. When the police saw who was driving, they stormed the bank and arrested the man. Jessica and Julius got out of the car when they reached Rick and the Chief. The Chief removed the cuffs from Julius' hands and gave him a pat on the back. It was all that was needed.

Julius looked at Jessica and couldn't help but smile. "So how'd you do it, doll?"

"To what are you referring?"she asked with feigned innocence as she batted her big lashes. He couldn't dance around it, he was too curious. "How did you hot wire the car?"

She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. "Real apps is actually kind of useful as it turns out." He had sacrificed himself to save her, then she used his invention to save him right back. They both smiled at the wonderful proof that they needed each other, no matter what the situation.

Rick approached them with his wife and gave Pepperwood an unexpected hug. He kept saying "Thank you" and "I owe you" but Pepperwood didn't know why. Recognizing his confusion, Lori explained, "I was in there. I was a hostage, and you saved me." Rick pulled away and he looked like he had been trying not to cry. Julius told him, "No problem man. I got your back and you got mine." Though neither knew it, their bond grew much deeper that day. And the importance of Julius' words wouldn't be fully understood until years later.


End file.
